William Dale Spellman

Aberdeen: Hello Darling My Sweetheart Angel Girl, Joan, and my children, Mrs. Ken Krause (Joni), Mrs. Greg Tolkinen (Jill), Mrs. Stephen Standefer (Melanie), Mr. and Mrs. William (Bill) Spellman, Mr. and Mrs. Clay Spellman, Mr. Clint Spellman, Mrs. Michael Herman (Melissa) and Mr. Clell Spellman; my grandchildren, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Krause, Kanaly, Keth, Kaleb, and Jonah Krause, Cole and Jack Tolkinen, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Dominguez (Merissa), Meghan, Mekayla and Sevlen Standefer, Destin, Daylon and Dessa Spellman, Brittany Webb, Chaz, Skyler and Zane Spellman, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Murrow (Rustelle), Elissa, Jess and Shane Herman; my great grandchildren, Asa, Juniper and Naiya Krause, Josiah, Grace and Kenissa Ross, Kyler and Lin Krause, Maisey Spellman, Jazz and Melaya Dominguez, Alexis, Shaidyn and Logan Murrow, Caden Herman; sister, Joy, brother, Peter, and to my friends.

Mama Joan will tell this story for me. I was born Jan. 14, 1926, in Aberdeen, S.D. We moved to 513 11th Ave. S.E., when I was seven. My grandmother was spirited and influenced my life. We had a cow, goats, chickens, hunted with my dad and rode bikes everywhere. Attended Monroe and Seventh Day Adventist grade schools, Simmons, graduated from Central in 1944. Drafted into Army 1944, stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., as a surgical technician, until June 1946.

Attended S.D. School of Mines and Northern State College, played French horn, acted in plays, created art works, enjoyed math classes, especially calculus with Prof. Ed Williamson, Prof. Jensen and Dr. Gerber, having fun with special friends, Harold Kelsey, Bill Gelling, Alan Hansen, John Weinbender, Bruce Baillie and Larry Perkins, graduating in 1954. I gave trampoline and horizontal bar exhibitions and had the first trampoline in Aberdeen.

I met Miss Joan Louise Kanaly, my darling, in 1953, and eloped to Ortonville, Minn., Sept. 4, 1954, where I had spent summers. Had a family wedding in Aberdeen in December. Joan and I moved to Isabel, S.D., where I taught high school Math/Science and directed plays, then taught in Stratford, along with coaching basketball. Visited Portland then spent a year in Seattle, working at Boeing. I loved to ski there. Taught in Castlewood, S.D., joining Spellman Painters in 1958, running the business, with my sons, when my father passed away in 1970.

We had eight lovely children, lived at 506 11th Ave., then moved back to my childhood home at 513. We enjoyed a big sideyard with trampoline, tents, swimming pool, treehouse, big snowmen, ice-skating pond, an igloo out of snow blocks, picnics and horses. I made homemade rootbeer, ice cream, cookies and taffy pulls, as I enjoyed cooking and baking. Made bread with wheat I ground. I loved gardening on State Street and the family benefited from produce and canning. I was an avid reader, inventor, birdwatcher, beekeeper, ice skater, chess and tennis player. The family went to Audubon shows, tobogganing at Richmond. I made stilts, birdhouses, creative woodworking and painted our house steps red upstairs and green downstairs. We took care of apartments and cared for parents. I enjoyed bargains, rummage sales and Natural Abundance Store. We had a great time!

I have painted hospitals, schools, businesses and houses in Aberdeen and surrounding territory. I am a prize-winning artist in acrylic paints and my grandson made a wonderful book of my art. A museum showing on Oct. 10, 2010, had over 200 people. My Sissy, Joy, and best friend, Harold, came. A very great day! I have been ill for five years, with West Nile, then myelodysplasia, which affects bone marrow. Joan and I spent many hours at outpatient for platelets and blood. I had severe pneumonia last summer, but we continued our happy life, with family events, a trip to Minneapolis, we were both guest speakers at Northern to graduate students about old age and we were rebaptized in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

I loved life and my family, hating to give up my cooking, garden, shop, books and inventions, but I will see Jesus in heaven, when I awaken from my peaceful sleep. Remember me with love family and friends. Thank you to my family who cared for me every day with love and devotion. So long for awhile, my darling Dale, my husband, partner and pal, your Joan Louise.

Dale passed away on Jan. 31, 2011, surrounded by his family. Preceded in death by his father, William; his mother, Inez (Strauss); brother, David; and baby sister, Gay.

Funeral service: 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, at Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, Aberdeen. Pastor Larry Duffy will be officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery. A time of fellowship and luncheon will follow the burial at Schriver's Memorial Fellowship Center.

Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, and Monday, from noon until the time of the service, all at the mortuary. Friends may sign his online guest book at schriversmemorial.com.

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This obituary was originally published in the Aberdeen American News.